Ukraine's top prosecutor Kravchenko denies involvement in scam call center racket
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko (Photo: koda.gov)
Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko denied any involvement in protecting fraudulent scam call centers or laundering their proceeds in a statement on September 6, following a major NABU and SAPO anti-corruption sting code-named Operation Carthage.
The Prosecutor General maintained that the allegations accusing him of accepting and laundering funds from the illicit call centers are completely unsupported by evidence.
Kravchenko also distanced himself from a photo released by anti-corruption agencies showing a safe packed with cash. He dismissed the evidence as mere gossip, stating that the safe has no connection to him or the prosecutor's office, and noted that his lawyers traced the photograph to an entirely separate criminal case.
Kravchenko also addressed separate reports regarding his travel history, family expenses, and his home in Kozyn. He maintained that all of his spending complies with the law and remains strictly within the limits of his declared income.
Kravchenko added that his wife independently filed the paperwork for her American visa and denied that she purchased the new laptop mentioned in the investigation files.
As for his house in Kozyn, the Prosecutor General stated that he has been renting it since May 2026, following prior renovations. He promised to declare his permanent residence as required by law.
During a High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) hearing, SAPO prosecutor Mykola Karas stated that Serhiy Kropyva – the deputy head of international cooperation at the Prosecutor General's Office who was identified as “Chancellor” in wiretaps – was likely under Kravchenko's protection.
During the trial, the prosecutor read out excerpts from their wiretapped conversations: “Yes, Andreyevich. Yes, boss. No, everything's fine. No, no one's bothering me. Who would bother me? You've got my back. That's why everyone knows it.”
Investigators also alleged that Kropyva coordinated renovations at Kravchenko's home in Kozyn. Specifically, he reportedly oversaw the installation of a gas generator, inverters, backup batteries, and an alarm system, and even arranged repairs for an ice maker.
Wiretapped conversations between the Prosecutor General and the scheme's organizer also indicate that Kropyva purchased plane tickets to Spain for Kravchenko and his wife for what was labelled as a “business trip.”
At the HACC hearing, the SAPO prosecutor also cited evidence that Serhiy Kropyva had booked hotels in Madrid, Spain, and was trying to find “budget” options for his official records: “Andreyevich, yes, of course, of course. I've bought everything, I've bought everything. We've done everything. If anything needs to be changed, we'll change it. Well, as always, tomorrow we'll rent something nearby, something budget-friendly for this whole thing, so it'll show up. Okay, then we'll book it. I'll book it for myself now.”
Operation Carthage
NABU announced a special operation on September 4 that uncovered a criminal organization allegedly led by an employee of the Prosecutor General’s Office. Sources told Ukrainska Pravda that NABU and SAPO detained Serhiy Kropyva, head of the cyber department at the Prosecutor General's Office. According to anti-corruption authorities, an official from the office may have been involved in protecting a network of fraudulent call centers and laundering their assets.
The Prosecutor General’s Office later said it was prepared to fully cooperate with anti-corruption agencies investigating the possible involvement of one of its employees in illegal activity linked to fraudulent call centers.
Citing anonymous sources, Ukrainska Pravda reported that NABU and SAPO conducted searches targeting premises linked to Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, First Deputy Prosecutor General Maria Vdovychenko, and Odesa Oblast Military Administration head Oleh Kiper.
NABU stated that five people have been implicated in the investigation under Ukraine’s Criminal Code. The charges include creating, leading, or participating in a criminal organization, as well as property laundering. Those convicted face up to 15 years in prison.
The Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed that around midnight on September 5, NABU detectives conducted investigative searches in the offices of the prosecutor general, the first deputy prosecutor general, and other staff members and departments within the agency.
The agency also stated that the court order authorizing the searches contained no evidence that Kravchenko instructed anyone to facilitate the call centers, obstructed any investigations, leaked information about planned raids, or accepted any financial kickbacks. Furthermore, the agency noted the warrant lacked any indication that criminal proceeds were used to pay for his home renovations, alarm systems, or other personal expenses.
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